Training Log Archive: Lard

Heard there was a charity fundraiser 5k with SNH - called the Medusa.
Why not. No competition, protecting a tight left calf and into a stiff breeze so cruising at a high-ish level.
1st place. Got a medal. Everyone did.
Bike race STILL in the legs.

Had planned to head to South Achray but cannae be arsed. Hopefully I'll get my motivation back after three weeks' holiday. JEC must happen so I have a lot more bracken-bashing to do in August, help or no help.

C • South Achray 5

Run from work. Felt like at English man in central Europe to start with - awkward, but improved slowly. Muggy.

Harvester Relays - 2nd leg for FVO 1st team.
Cleve Hill. Will came back in 3rd a way behind BOK and someone else but I was more concerned with SYO and thankfully they were behind. Went out hard and promptly got into serious oxygen debt - that bloody bike race is still in my legs! Anyway managed to hold it together until no4 which was on a niche and cheekily placed at the lower end of it. Wandered around above it for a few minutes before checking my bearings on a track and going back in - saw it as approaching from the far side. Ok from there, just very slow and tired on the climbs. Thankfully back before SYO and reduced margin to leaders down to 2.5 minutes. All going swimmingly for the team until Rog mispunched. :-( Hey=ho. We would have won by miles and embarrassed ourselves - we can do that next year in the Lakes.

South Achray route running. Followed by 45 minutes of bracken bashing. Rog and I are doing well - ON OUR OWN. Really could do with some help.

Steady 3 laps and a bit at work. Looks like the Batties are at the Conference Centre - just seen Beccy's car...
A bit tight down the left side after 25.... stretching...

A cheeky (I'm working from home) jog up the hill at the back. Been getting nerve pain in lower back so was desperate to get out. Running sorts everything out, doesn't it? ;-) Lots of stretching after. It's nothing too serious, I hope...

Screwed. Two shuffles to school and back helped.

A really good, painful massage from J9 and some stretching. Permanently hungry! Resisting.

Trossachs Ton. Well that went to plan, not. Aiming for sub-7 hours of pleasant group riding, gorgeous scenery and good weather.
Managed to work with a few people round the early stages to Aberfoyle and did the first 71k in 2hrs 40 (2:16/k average). Great catch up with family at Aberfoyle and happily over Dukes with no issues. Not just wet mist by now though - proper rain along Loch Katrine. Punctured on a downhill as I was parallel with Stronachlachar. Assumed it was a pinch-puncture and relatively quickly changed it whilst being eaten alive by midges. Put in an old tube with a repair and crossed my fingers it was OK. 10 minutes later (just before Stronachlachar) flat tyre. Damn. Bloody old tube! Grrr. In goes the 2nd one, a new one at least. But my pump don't work - had to flag someone and beg theirs - it was a cracker! Off I go again (I was now the colour of a coal minor as the midges had really tucked in). Hurtling down to Aberfoyle - 5 miles to go...puncher! F@&k!!! No more spares. Had to flag down a nice guy and blag one. Let him go on. Right, it's about time I triple-checked there's nothing wrong with the rim or tyre. Bollox. Found an old thorn, quite flattish but enough to puncture at speed downhill....explains everything. Had to flag another guy to borrow a pump. Up it goes. Ta. Back on the road. Three puncture in and 37 minutes of time lost I was pretty pissed off and there was no longer anybody to work with (only 211 people rode this route - what a fiddle!!!) so it was a long slog from there home, knowing 7 hours was out the window. Hey-ho, I was gonna bloody finish so pushed on and worked hard all the way. Chuffed to see whole family and extra supporters at Aberfoyle 2 and that got me over Dukes 2 easily (managed to flag a van to get a track pump to make sure tyres all good). Into wind and rain for last 10 miles. Job done. Body broken. Knackered. Looks like I'd have been good for well under 7 had I not punctured at all. C'est la vie. Glad it's over and I can prepare for the French 5 (when my body un-tightens!).

C • Well done 5

Into work from Garage (Passat service).
Cold (11) and wet (bloody wet!).

Three days to go to the biggest ride of my life. The Trossachs Ton!
https://www.action.org.uk/trossachs-ton

This is gonna hurt, so to alleviate my pain could you consider sponsoring me?
https://www.action.org.uk/user/222256

Or for those who remember the great John Pickering of Airienteers, BG Round etc then I'd rather you sponsor his wife Julie:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/MOTforJohn?...

Usual work loop. In self-preservation mode as the rain turned from light drizzle to heavy downpour.

Back to the house from a family splash about at Coniston Water (Janine open -watering again). Found 5 chevorns, two cattle grids and two gates today going over Subberthwaite. Lovely and sunny again, and quiet on these back lanes. Home to 14 degrees and drizzle ;-(

In the Lakes at Julie Pick's. A family walk in Dunnerdale and then a ride home via Broughton Mills and some hills. Pushing strong but getting lost with a 1:100k map. Warm down here!

SNH Time Trial.
New PB, new course record! By one second.
Where did that come from? I thought I was unfit....

Home Sheriffmuir Blackford Braco Auchinlay Ardoch Argaty Doune Hill of Row Keir Home.
Nearly lost it on the turn onto the Auchinlay road - what a dump - a gravelly, bumpy deathtrap - never again!
Nice night for it despite the wind not knowing whether it's coming or going!

Jogging. Legs not my own.

Hill reps up Sheriffmuir Road in the heat of the day. Short on time but bashed it out.
5:39 (warming up)
5:22
5:25
5:33
5:22
Conclusion - I'm nowhere near the shape I was in for Etape Caledonia. Need to accept that.

Home to Auchingarrich Wildlife Park.

Hanging tapes for WOC stealth relay. Enjoyed this, apart from the occasional nettle patch. Ouch!

C • Thanks very much! 3

Auchingarrich to home. Caught and passed a Falkirk CC development ride :-)

Home to Loch Ard as hard a possible with a supporting wind. Hit 2min/k for the first time ever :-)
Followed by an afternoon of family paddling on the Loch (hard work when you have two boats and two lazy kids whilst Mum Open-water swims ;-)

Travelling back from Lochgilphead (helped a mate with some DIY en route for a short while)

On the way to work in Lochgilphead. Stopped off to recce the area to the south west of Tyndrum. Gorgeous in parts but not enough access/kiddy stuff for a SOL - SHI perhaps? Bumped into Gary and Louise at the Real Food café.

Dropped at Kilmichael then rode south towards Crinan Canal and kept going south through Knapdale to Tayvallich where I'd reserved dinner. Fabulous scenery, fabulous weather. Saw Jura! From a distance.

FVO WEE at Polmaise, planned by Jon. A good blast around paths. Sadly my head wasn't screwed on and I was more intent on running hard rather than navigating. Overshot near the end big time. Sore Achilles from the hard running in o shoes.